Business

Lynx Air is shutting down. What to do if you have travel booked – Global News

Published

8 months ago

February 23, 2024

Canadians booked with Lynx Air find themselves in limbo Friday after the ultra-low-cost-carrier announced it is going out of business.

Lynx Air said Thursday it has sought and obtained an initial order for creditor protection after facing “significant headwinds” in the past year.

The Calgary-based airline said it will continue to operate its scheduled flights until 12:01 a.m. MT on Monday, after which Lynx Air operations will cease.

Lynx said that despite growing its fleet and doubling its passenger volume over the last two years, it has faced rising operating costs, high fuel prices, exchange rates, increasing airport charges and a difficult economic and regulatory environment.

0:50
Lynx Air files for creditor protection, will cease operations

Lynx Air added it tried to explore a sale or merger, but ultimately the challenges facing the company’s business “have become too significant to overcome.” The airline employs 160 pilots and flight crew members, according to the Air Line Pilots Association union.

“This is a difficult day for everyone at Lynx Air and we recognize it’s an exceptionally difficult day for our loyal customers,” a spokesperson for Lynx said in a statement to Global News Thursday.

The company added that efforts are being made to assist passengers affected by the move, with those who have existing bookings advised to contact their credit card company to secure refunds for pre-booked travel.

What should Lynx customers do?

Lynx, as well as the Canadian Transportation Authority (CTA), have published advice for customers on navigating the upcoming closure.

According to Lynx, anyone who has a flight cancelled this weekend will be notified by email. If their flight is after Feb. 26, they can contact their credit card company for a refund. Lynx said its contact centre will not be available to assist with refunds.

Travel and flight vouchers will no longer be accepted once Lynx ceases operations, the airline added.

2:18
Canada aims to toughen air passenger bill of rights

However, Transport Minister Pablo Rodriguez said in a statement Thursday he expects Lynx Air to get stranded passengers back home as soon as possible, and to provide refunds if fares cannot be honoured.

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He added his office is in contact with other airlines to see how they can help, “to ensure that passengers are put first.”

The CTA said on Thursday stranded passengers, or those with tickets for future travel with Lynx, should contact their travel agents or providers for alternate travel arrangements. However, those passengers may have to make those arrangements on their own, it added.

“Passengers who paid for their tickets by credit card should contact their credit card company to see what they are eligible for,” the CTA said.

“If travel insurance was purchased, passengers should contact the insurance company to see if their coverage includes such circumstances.”

2:34
Consumer Matters: How air passenger rights changes will impact travellers

If Lynx customers purchased their travel arrangements from a travel agent that is registered in Ontario, Quebec or British Columbia, they may be eligible for a refund from the provincial authorities responsible for travel, the CTA added.

WestJet and fellow ultra-low-cost-carrier (ULCC) Flair Airlines are helping to mitigate some of the issues for Lynx travellers.

WestJet said Thursday it will offer discounted fares for stranded domestic travellers, and capped fares for Canadian repatriation flights on non-stop WestJet routes previously served by Lynx.

Flair CEO Stephen Jones told Global News in a statement Friday the airline has added six recovery flights for impacted passengers and crew, and is exploring other options.

“The ULCC landscape is a challenging one, and the loss of a fellow disruptor only underscores this. Flair now stands as the sole ULCC in the country, and we believe that competition is essential for ensuring fair prices,” Jones said.

“While acknowledging other airlines’ discount efforts, it’s important to note that their discounted fares are still higher than our base fares. That is why ULCCs and competition are so critical. Maintaining a competitive market benefits consumers with lower prices and increased choice.”

‘Very sad day’ for airline community: ex-Air Canada official

Duncan Dee, a former chief operating officer at Air Canada, issued a statement on X Thursday, formerly known as Twitter, calling Lynx’s closure a “very sad day for Canada’s airline community” and the communities it served.

“Unlike many countries on earth, Canada, sadly, is inhospitable territory for new entrants, especially ultra low-cost carriers,” he said.

“Unless and until Canada has a serious look at its treatment of air travelers, airlines and airports as cash cows, this situation will never change.”

A very sad day for Canada’s airline community & the communities (like Fredericton/YFC) that Lynx & its employees served.

Unlike many countries on earth, Canada, sadly, is inhospitable territory for new entrants, especially ultra low cost carriers.

Where many other markets allow… https://t.co/mDkTLtIT8t

— Duncan Dee ???????????????? (@duncandee) February 23, 2024

Lou Arab, communications representative for the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), said the union was “devastated” for their members impacted by Thursday’s announcement but will fight for them.

“We’ll make sure our members receive anything the company is legally obligated to provide that might include severance and back pay on a case-by-case basis,” he said in an interview with Global News. “We will fight to ensure that employees get everything they’re legally entitled to.”

CUPE represents 240 flight attendants at Lynx, Arab said.

2:02
Cost of WestJet’s shut down of Swoop

Lynx made its inaugural flight on April 7, 2022. After Monday, it will join former airline Swoop as the latest Canadian ultra-low-cost carrier to cease operations.

WestJet, which owned Swoop, shut it down last year and folded its operations into its main business. The airline also announced it will integrate Sunwing Airlines, which it acquired last spring, into WestJet’s mainline business by October.

— with files from Global News’ Sean Previl

Business

What Difference Will You Make to an Employer?

Published

10 hours ago

October 21, 2024

Nick Kossovan

It’s common knowledge that companies don’t hire the most qualified candidates. Employers hire the person they believe will deliver the best value in exchange for their payroll cost.

Since most job seekers know the above, I’m surprised that so few mention their Employee Value Proposition (EVP). Most job seekers list their education, skills, and experience without substantiating them and expect employers to determine whether they can benefit their company; hence, most resumes and LinkedIn profiles are just a list of opinions—borderline platitudes—that are meaningless and, therefore, have no value. Job seekers need to better explain, along with providing evidence, how they’ll contribute to an employer’s success.

Employers don’t hire opinions (read: talk is cheap); they hire results.

You’re not offering anything tangible when you claim:

I’m a great communicator.
I’m detail oriented.
I’m a team player.

Tangible:

“At Global Dynamics, I held quarterly town hall meetings with my 22 sales reps, highlighting our accomplishments, identifying opportunity areas, and recognizing outstanding performers.”
“For eight years, I managed Vandelay Industries IT department, overseeing a staff of 18 and a 12-million-dollar budget while coordinating cross-specialty projects. My strong attention to detail is why I never exceeded budget.”
“While working at Cyberdyne Systems, I was part of the customer service team, consisting of nine of us, striving to improve our response time. Through collaboration and sharing of best practices, we reduced our average response time from 48 to 12 business hours, resulting in a 35% improvement in customer feedback ratings.”

These examples of tangible answers provide employers with what they most want to hear from candidates but rarely do; what value the candidate will bring to the company. Typically, job seekers present their skills, experience, and unsubstantiated opinions and expect recruiters and employers to figure out their value, which is a lazy practice.

Getting hired isn’t based on “I have an MBA in Marketing and Sales,” “I’ve been a web designer for over 15 years,” “I’m young, beautiful and energetic,” blah, blah, blah. Likewise, being rejected isn’t based on “I’m overqualified,” “I’m too old,” “I don’t have enough education,” blah, blah, blah. Getting hired depends entirely on showing employers that you can add value and substance to their company; that you’ll serve a purpose.

When you articulate a solid value offer, the “blah, blah, blah” doesn’t matter. Job seekers focus too much on the “blah, blah, blah,” and when not hired, they say, “It’s not me, it’s…” The biggest mistake I see job seekers make is focusing on the “blah, blah, blah”—their experience and education—believing this is what interests employers. Hiring managers are more interested in whether you can solve the problems the position exists to solve than in your education and experience.

Not impressive: Education

Impressive: A track record of achieving tangible results.

You aren’t who you say you are; you are what you do.

If you want to be somebody who works hard, you have to actually work hard. If you want to be somebody who goes to the gym, you actually have to go to the gym. If you want to be a good friend, spouse, or colleague, you have to actually be a good friend, spouse, or colleague. Actions build reputations, not words.

The biggest challenge job seekers face today is differentiating themselves. To stand out and be memorable, don’t be like most job seekers, someone who’s all talk and no action. Any recruiter or hiring manager will tell you that the job market is heavily populated with job seekers who talk themselves up, talk a “good game” about everything they can “supposedly” do, drop names, etc., but have nothing to show for it.

More than ever, employers want to hear candidates offer a value proposition summarizing what value they bring. If you’re looking for a low-hanging fruit method to differentiate yourself, do what job seekers hardly ever do and make a hard-to-ignore value proposition.

Increase sales: “Based on my experience managing Regina and Saskatoon for PharmaKorp, I’m confident that I can increase BioGen’s sales by no less than 25% in Winnipeg and the surrounding area by the end of 2025.”
Reduce cost: “During my 12 years as Taco Town’s head of purchasing, I renegotiated contracts with key suppliers, resulting in 15% cost savings, saving the company over $450,000 annually. I know I can do the same for The Pasta House.”
Increase customer satisfaction:“During my time at Globex Corporation, I established a systematic feedback mechanism that enabled customers to share their experiences. This led to targeted improvements, increasing our Net Promoter Score by 15 points. I can increase Dunder Mifflin’s net promoter score.”
Save time: “As Zap Delivery’s dispatcher, I implemented advanced routing software that analyzed traffic patterns, reducing average delivery times by 20%. My implementation of this software at Froggy’s Delivery can reduce your delivery times by at least 20%, if not more.”

If you want to achieve job search success as soon as possible, structure your job search with a single thread that’s evident and consistent throughout your résumé, LinkedIn profile, cover letters and especially during interviews; clearly convey what difference you’ll make to the employer.

_____________________________________________________________________

Nick Kossovan, a well-seasoned veteran of the corporate landscape, offers “unsweetened” job search advice. You can send Nick your questions to artoffindingwork@gmail.com.

Business

Netflix’s subscriber growth slows as gains from password-sharing crackdown subside

Published

4 days ago

October 17, 2024

Anne Joseph

Netflix on Thursday reported that its subscriber growth slowed dramatically during the summer, a sign the huge gains from the video-streaming service’s crackdown on freeloading viewers is tapering off.

The 5.1 million subscribers that Netflix added during the July-September period represented a 42% decline from the total gained during the same time last year. Even so, the company’s revenue and profit rose at a faster pace than analysts had projected, according to FactSet Research.

Netflix ended September with 282.7 million worldwide subscribers — far more than any other streaming service.

The Los Gatos, California, company earned $2.36 billion, or $5.40 per share, a 41% increase from the same time last year. Revenue climbed 15% from a year ago to $9.82 billion. Netflix management predicted the company’s revenue will rise at the same 15% year-over-year pace during the October-December period, slightly than better than analysts have been expecting.

The strong financial performance in the past quarter coupled with the upbeat forecast eclipsed any worries about slowing subscriber growth. Netflix’s stock price surged nearly 4% in extended trading after the numbers came out, building upon a more than 40% increase in the company’s shares so far this year.

The past quarter’s subscriber gains were the lowest posted in any three-month period since the beginning of last year. That drop-off indicates Netflix is shifting to a new phase after reaping the benefits from a ban on the once-rampant practice of sharing account passwords that enabled an estimated 100 million people watch its popular service without paying for it.

The crackdown, triggered by a rare loss of subscribers coming out of the pandemic in 2022, helped Netflix add 57 million subscribers from June 2022 through this June — an average of more than 7 million per quarter, while many of its industry rivals have been struggling as households curbed their discretionary spending.

Netflix’s gains also were propelled by a low-priced version of its service that included commercials for the first time in its history. The company still is only getting a small fraction of its revenue from the 2-year-old advertising push, but Netflix is intensifying its focus on that segment of its business to help boost its profits.

In a letter to shareholder, Netflix reiterated previous cautionary notes about its expansion into advertising, though the low-priced option including commercials has become its fastest growing segment.

“We have much more work to do improving our offering for advertisers, which will be a priority over the next few years,” Netflix management wrote in the letter.

As part of its evolution, Netflix has been increasingly supplementing its lineup of scripted TV series and movies with live programming, such as a Labor Day spectacle featuring renowned glutton Joey Chestnut setting a world record for gorging on hot dogs in a showdown with his longtime nemesis Takeru Kobayashi.

Netflix will be trying to attract more viewer during the current quarter with a Nov. 15 fight pitting former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson against Jake Paul, a YouTube sensation turned boxer, and two National Football League games on Christmas Day.

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Business

All Magic Spells (TM) : Top Converting Magic Spell eCommerce Store

Published

4 days ago

October 17, 2024

Sven Eggers

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